Academics
College Counseling
Individualized, Purposeful, Personal
For our students, these three words sum up the GPS college counseling experience.
Selecting a college is a personal journey that involves the student, her college counselor, and her family. While her counselor can provide expert advice and insight into colleges that best meet her requirements and fit her profile, ultimately the decision lies with the student and her family.
By learning to evaluate her own strengths and craft her unique story, each student can discover colleges she might not have even considered at the beginning of the process. Online tools, such as SCOIR, help her keep an ongoing account of the application journey and college selection, one that is done in partnership with her counselor.
Because the college search is uniquely tailored to each girl, it is no wonder that GPS alumnae go on to graduate from the college where they started at a rate that’s nearly double the national average.
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GPS students listen to a college rep -
a GPS counselor speaks with a student -
A student talks with a college rep during the first college fair of the year -
A student meets with a college rep for a mock interview
Upcoming Events
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a student high-fives a teacher at Commencement -
A GPS college counselor speaks with students -
a GPS student meets with a college representative -
two students celebrate their college decision with decorated uniforms -
a college rep talks to a class of students
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AP Exams 2025
College Counseling by Grade
The road to college is a series of questions and answers, both for the counselors and for each girl as she seeks the college that will be the best fit. To help each girl develop her plan for finding her choice college, the College Counseling office has developed a multi-year process.
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+ Freshman Year
During her freshman year, each girl is focused on making the transition to Upper School academically, socially, and emotionally. She is encouraged to explore her options, try new activities, get involved in both the school community and the community at large, and discover her interests. The goal is to get her off to a strong start in her first year of Upper School. -
+ Sophomore Year
In sophomore year, students are assigned a college counselor with whom they will meet for the first time that spring. The girls are encouraged to reflect on their high school experiences thus far and on how they wish to approach the second half of their upper school experience. The college counselor will engage each girl in a personalized discussion about standardized testing plans and course selection.
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+ Junior Year
Throughout the fall, each girl is encouraged to meet with college admission representatives who visit GPS and Chattanooga. From November through February, the college counseling office will meet individually with each girl and her family for a comprehensive discussion about her college search and upcoming application experience. In the winter and spring, the college counseling office provides a curriculum for students, a panel discussion with admission deans for parents and students, an admission case study program for students, and other constituent education programs. -
+ Senior Year
Seniors are encouraged to attend a summer workshop, where they will continue to hone their resumes, essays, and other important
components of their college applications. Upon returning to campus in August, each senior meets individually and in seminars with her
college counselor to discuss admission strategies, fine tune her application, edit essays, and to reflect on what she is seeking in her next step beyond GPS. At the end of the college counseling journey, we know each girl is prepared for what awaits her beyond GPS!
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volleyball players in a huddle
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two girls at a ceramics wheel talking
Meet the College Counseling Staff
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Matriculation Map
Resources
The password is located on the College Counseling Resource Board in myGPS.
